With fall comes football season and for us here at Castell Insurance, September is the first quarter of our Super Bowl!  October starts the busiest three months of our year with open enrollment for Medicare and now the Affordable Care Act as well.  September is our month for training and holding public seminars to help people understand the new Affordable Care Act.  Training camp is over and it's time for kick off!

ACA UPDATE

Phew! What a nail biter! For the past few days, we have been waiting to see if the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner (OIC) would approve any additional companies, and then, if the Exchange Board would certify what the OIC approved.

 

It came close to the final wire but the certifications have been made. In addition to the offerings from Bridgespan (Regence affiliate), Premera/Lifewise, and Group Health, which were approved by the OIC at the end of July, two companies were approved in the past few days. They are Molina, Community Health Plan of Washington and Kaiser Permenente.

 

On September 4, all these companies were certified by the Exchange.  

 

What does this mean for us here on the peninsula? Not a gosh darn bit of difference since the new additions did not wish to offer their plans in Clallam or Jefferson counties. We still have the plans offered by Premera and Lifewise for folks who purchase within the Exchange.

 

Late afternoon on September 5, it was announced that the OIC had approved another company within the Exchange. The new company is Coordinated Healthcare and they will be offering a HMO type product in a number of counties, BUT NOT in our area.

 

In reading between the lines, I have a feeling that yet another company is attempting to get their plans approved by the OIC and certified by the Exchange Board in order to offer plans by October 1st.

 

In a personal email I received from a highly ranked employee of the OIC, he stated "We expect that there will continue to be a robust 'external' market for consumers in the state".

 

From that statement and in reviewing non exchange plans submitted but not yet approved by the OIC, we should see a number of options for folks who do not purchase within the exchange.

 

Finally, there is a little item that will cause concern if you are not prepared for it. I call this "Uncle Sam has hired Big Brother".

 

As part of the online enrollment process you will be asked to confirm your identity. Sounds simple, but how will the system really know it is you and not someone else with your basic information?

 

The administration has hired a credit reporting agency to help verify the income and identity of people applying for coverage within the exchange.

 

Questions I have seen include things like:

 - How many bedrooms are in your home?

 - What is the model year of the car you purchased or leased prior to 2009?

 - If you took out an auto loan or lease around 2012 what range does your monthly payment fit into?

 

These are questions that will make you wonder, "Just how does the state know the answer to that?" I know I was surprised when I saw the types of questions asked.

 

We are now within weeks of enrollment and I am sure I will be surprised at least a few more times between now and then.  

 

Next week we hope to have some answers for small businesses and non-profit organizations that want to help cover their employees.  

 

The following link is for a news program from the TVW channel (the CSPAN type channel for all things related to Washington) that aired Thursday, September 5. In two separate segments, the program interviewed Mike Kreidler, the Insurance Commissioner, and Richard Onizuka, the CEO of the Washington Health Benefit Excahange.

http://www.tvw.org/index.php?option=com_tvwplayer &eventID=2013090048  

I found it fascinating to hear from the two heads of their respective organizations for the reasoning behind some of their decisions.

 

Health & Medicare

What's happening in Washington Health Care?  I'll bet everyone would like to know.  The fact is that it's changing on a daily basis.  Here is what we know as of September 16, 2013. Regence Blueshield has notified their current clients which program they will be transferred to as well as the new premiums for 2014.  Regence is moving everyone to a new ACA compliant program outside the Exchange.  They advise folks to closely review their plan options and also check on the exchange web-site to see if they might be eligible for premium support.  The link below will connect you to the Regence announcement as well as all the relevant materials.

 

  http://www.wa.regence.com/agent/communication/2013/aug/08282013 DiscoIndvSG.html   

 

This is great, except the rates they have published HAVE NOT been approved by the Office of the Insurance Commissioner.  So if you are a Regence customer and have received this letter from Regence, and you should have by now, please do not panic!  There will be other options for you to purchase insurance, either in or out of the exchange.

 

Premera and Lifewise have both announced their rates and THEY ARE approved by the insurance commissioner and they are less than Regence on almost all programs.  We will still have HSA programs available, and premiums are competitive.  We do not know what the Federal Premium Tax Credit amounts are going to be in 2014.

 

In reviewing what plan details are available, we know that the benefits being offered by Premera and Lifewise are very rich. They have much lower out of pocket maximums, unlimited visits to the doctor with minimal copay and all before you have to pay the deductible.  Premera and Lifewise have instituted a program where they will give you a lower copay for seeing a doctor or clinic that you have specified as your primary care physician.

 

One item we saw from Premera/Lifewise (which is an attempt to rein in claims) is for almost all procedures to require prior authorization, with the most notable exception being for emergencies.

 

We are still waiting for the exchange to go live but new information is trickling out every day.  If you wish to attend one of our seminars on the ACA, please contact our office to see where space is available.

 

Until next time, a quote from an ancient Chinese Scholar that seems to be appropriate, "May you live in interesting times".

    John@Castellinsurance.com

Home & Auto

I'm awake while you sleep. Unloading the dishwasher right as you hit the REM sleep stage. I'm the guy who has helped the meteoric rise of Green Mountain Coffee company and single serving coffee machines. I'm a new Dad!

 

Many of you know from reading this monthly installment or seeing our agency reader board that my wife Sarah and I welcomed our first son into the world a few weeks ago.  This has brought about MAJOR changes in our life. Many of you are parents, or even grandparents yourself and understand the joy that this has brought to our household.   

 

I've always loved the famous quote about change in your life; "the only constant in life is change." Nothing stays the same forever. Unless you're a Mariners fan, because it sure feels like they've been horrible FOREVER!  

 

Contrary to popular beliefs, insurance agents don't know everything. We aren't omniscient. Heck, judging by my fantasy football team, I'm not even close to it!  That's why there's some responsibility in your court to help us out.   

 

Most people don't know that some of the changes in their life can affect their insurance policies. Whether it's signing up for AAA, buying a new fancy Rolex or getting a new security system in the house (because the neighbor kids have grown up to be neighbor nuisances), the fact is changes in your life can warrant a change in your insurance policies.  Sometimes these life changes result in money back in your pocket, and sometimes not.   

 

The moral of the story is your insurance agent and company won't know about your changes unless you tell them.   I figure since insurance companies switch it up on you so often, why not return the favor!  Let 'em know about your new art collection, joining AAA or AARP, taking a safe driver course or change in driving mileage since you've retired.

 

The only way we'll know about possible discounts you're eligible for is by sharing that information with us.  With a new baby in the house, I can't expect to be "saving" much money now, but all the money in the world couldn't bring us the happiness that Grayson Philip has brought us.  

 

 

Medicare Clients 

If you would like to review or make changes to your current Medicare plans, please come see us starting October 15.  

If you currently have major medical insurance, please come see us starting October 2 to find our your options with the Affordable Care Act.  

Also, please remember that we also offer home, renters and auto insurance!  We would be happy to review all of your plolicies and cover all your insurance needs with one agency.